In known equipment of the above-described type, synchronization is achieved by reproducing a brief part of the end of the previously recorded information; that is, a magnetic head scans this previously recorded information and the vertical synchronization signals are separated from the signals at the output of the magnetic head. The so-separated vertical synchronization signals are subjected to a phase comparison with the vertical synchronization signals from a video signal source, for example a television camera. The tape advance is then so-synchronized to the vertical synchronization signals from the video signal source that, upon initiation of the recording mode, the vertical synchronization pulses from the video signal source coincide in time with the vertical synchronization signals derived from the magnetic head during the brief reproducing interval.
It is a disadvantage of the above-described method that a relatively long time is required until the synchronization is achieved.